Did the stirring ovation given to him following his game-winner late Sunday serve as his last hurrah?

Fans should hope so.

Destined to be a painful separation no matter how it all ends, the Flames now have a golden opportunity to rip the band-aid off as quickly as possible and trade Iginla pronto.

Make no mistake, it’s important to get this trade right, as it will help shape the future of the franchise.

But getting it right also means doing it efficiently, as every day they wait potential suitors can drop out of the race just as the Pittsburgh Pittsburgh may have done Sunday when they acquired Brenden Morrow.

For years, the Flames have been paralyzed by fear trading Iginla would spark a massive public relations backlash — a revolt by fans who have revered Iggy for the bulk of his 17 years in Calgary. After all, no player in franchise history has been more popular or lucrative — for the club.

That should no longer be a concern.

For the first time in Iginla’s tenure with the team, the vast majority of the fan base is now onside with trading Iginla — not because they don’t like the team’s future hall of famer anymore, but because such a move is best for him and for the club.

It’s that obvious to everyone, including Iginla, who reportedly submitted his list of teams he’d agree to be traded to over the weekend, which included Boston, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles and Chicago. (Note: the story was broken by a French reporter with close ties to coach Bob Hartley, and no one in the organization will comment.)